Underdogs the heroes at SA IPT

Underdogs Southern Cape and KwaZulu handed joint defending champions Boland and Western Province a decisive drubbing to emerge as the A-Section frontrunners in the first round of the South African Inter-Provincial, sponsored by Tempest, after at Rustenburg Golf Club.

Southern Cape, last year’s Section B winners, won two foursomes and halved another to take a one point lead into the singles.

Although Karl Ochse managed to halve his game with Nicholas Mitchell, the rest of the Boland side could only convert two games for victory and the minnows were left to celebrate a 9-3 result over the Winelands side.

Western Province went down to KwaZulu-Natal in equally disparaging fashion.

The 2009 champions put Province on the back foot with a 3-1 lead in the foursomes and won five of the eight singles for an 8-4 triumph.

Meanwhile Central Gauteng went into the singles in a strong position after beating Gauteng North 3-1, but the Northern side retaliated with five single victories. Tokkie van den Berg squared his game with Central’s Eddie Taylor to add the vital half point to help Gauteng North beat the 2010 champions 6.5 – 5.5.

B SECTION

In the B-Section, North West and Limpopo went into the singles with two foursome wins apiece, but the local favourites reeled in six victories to romp home with an 8-4 result.

But the hosts had no defence against a spirited Ekurhuleni side, who vaulted to the top of the log with a strong opening performance.

Ekurhuleni carried a 4-0 lead against Limpopo and a 3-1 lead over North West into the singles and converted for two solid victories.

The side scored a clean sweep in the singles against Limpopo to win 11-1 and beat the host union 8.5 – 3.5. Henk Pretorius scored a half point for North West against Ernest Botha, while former professional Danie van Niekerk downed South African number one, Christiaan Bezuidenhout from Nigel 3 & 2.

The Free State & Northern Cape built on their 2.5 – 1.5 foursomes lead to beat the Eastern Province 7-5.

Day 1 Results

Day 1 Log

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